“Well, that’s essentially what you do while you sleep. While you
sleep, your body slowly becomes dehydrated because it needs fluid to
operate. Naturally, you don’t drink water while you sleep because, well,
you’re sleeping!” –SarahRiordan, visual artist, art program editor of the Urban Book Circle.

I’m reducing my body fat from 17% to 10% for a productivity experiment,
and drinking a huge glass of water right after I wake up is something
both my personal trainer and dietician recommended to reduce my body
fat. Especially this week, when I’m being a complete slob in the name of productivity, it’s helping my energy levels a ton.

Water does not burn fat! The
solution is simple (a glass of refreshing water) yet it is often the
last thing we think of as we reach for another cup of coffee or
something sweet from the vending machine or just ignore our body
signals altogether.

Imagine not drinking any water, tea, or any other liquids for the next eight hours.
Well, that’s essentially what you do while you sleep. While you
sleep, your body slowly becomes dehydrated because it needs fluid to
operate. Naturally, you don’t drink water while you sleep because, well,
you’re sleeping!

I’m reducing my body fat from 17% to 10% for a productivity experiment, and drinking a huge glass of water right after I wake up is something both my personal trainer and dietician recommended to reduce my body fat. Especially this week, when I’m being a complete slob in the name of productivity, it’s helping my energy levels a ton.

Most sources I’ve read recommend drinking 16oz of water right after you wake up, and I’d recommend even more (depending on your weight; I drink 0.5-1L every morning and weigh 119 pounds). Here are five solid reasons to drink a big glass of water right when you wake up.

It fires up your metabolism. Drinking a large, cool glass of water after you wake up has been shown to fire up your metabolism by a whopping 24%for 90 minutes!1

You’re dehydrated when you wake up. You just went 7-8 hours without drinking any water! Even if your body isn’t telling you that it’s thirsty, it probably is.2

Water helps your body flush out toxins. “Your kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding your body of toxins as long as your intake of fluids is adequate”, according to Kenneth Ellner, an Atlanta-based dermatologist. Getting fluids into your body right after your wake up will help your body flush out toxins first thing in the morning.3

Your brain tissue is 75% water. When you’re not properly hydrated, your brain operates on less fuel, and you can feel drained, or experience fatigue or mood fluctuations.4

You’ll eat less. One study showed that people who drink a glass of water before every meal lost 4.5 pounds over a three-month period, because “it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories”, and people “feel full as a result”.5 Especially after I’ve eaten a big breakfast, drinking a lot of water in the morning has also helped me avoid the temptation of snacking before lunch.

Your body is 72% water, and you don’t have enough water in you when you wake up. Drinking a big glass of water first thing in the morning is a great way to rehydrate, and start kicking ass from the moment you wake up.

Don’t forget to take a glass of water before each meal. This is another smart trick to fill up your stomach and make it eat less food. In many studies of weight loss in adults who were over-weight, it was found that people who drank water before meals eat fewer calories and got improvement in losing weight.The effect of water on calories was more effective in older adults than in youngsters. When you take water before meals, make sure you monitor food portions and calorie intake. Some experts of water diet to lose weight fast suggest consuming one glass of water before, in between and after the meal.6 It helps in digestion and speeds up weight loss.

Water does not burn fat.7 Drinking plenty of water is healthful for a number of reasons, but it doesn’t make your body burn calories faster. It is a natural cleanser and assists with preventing water retention as it increases urinary excretion. Water aids in almost every metabolic process and is needed for many body functions, so indirectly it is part of the weight loss process.

Being dehydrated could contribute to needless snacking – so having enough water keeps your appetite in check. This is because the bodies automatic response to the dry mouth sensation (caused by dehydration) is to want to eat.

The solution is simple (a glass of refreshing water) yet it is often the last thing we think of as we reach for another cup of coffee or something sweet from the vending machine or just ignore our body signals altogether. So, making sure you drink enough water during the day can aid weight loss by eliminating needless snacking brought on by dehydration.

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